...A Passion towards Environmental Sustainability

Chibeze S. Ezekiel

Chibeze is a young Social Development Practitioner in Ghana certified as a Master Youth Trainer on Climate Change by the World Bank Institute (WBI). He has considerable social work experience with emphasis on Youth Development, Gender, Climate Change, Water and Sanitation, and Tax Justice. He currently plays an active role in the on-going Post 2015 SDGs discussions.

Chibeze S. Ezekiel

Chibeze is a young Social Development Practitioner in Ghana certified as a Master Youth Trainer on Climate Change by the World Bank Institute (WBI). He has considerable social work experience with emphasis on Youth Development, Gender, Climate Change, Water and Sanitation, and Tax Justice. He currently plays an active role in the on-going Post 2015 SDGs discussions.

Thursday, May 17, 2018

Climate
change is undeniably affecting all aspects of human life. While efforts are
been made at all levels to address its adverse impacts, the poor and vulnerable
such as women, girls, boys, aged, people with disability and the aged tend to
suffer most due to their poor coping abilities.

As part of contributing to the climate adaptation process in
Ghana, the Strategic Youth Network for Development (SYND) conducted a survey
dubbed “Climate
Change Impacts: The experiences of Youth Leaders in Ghana” targeting
youth leadersin
James Town, New Abirem and Gumani representing the Southern, Middle and
Northern zones of Ghana respectively.

25 youth leaders were
engaged in James Town drawn from the following groups No Noise Fund club,
United Youth, Ashabienaa Youth, Concern Youth, Willows International, Ga Mashie
Association, Great Thinkers and New Generation. In New Abirem, there were
32 youth leaders selected from groups such as Hweakwae Youth Association,
Assembly Unit Committee, Yayaaso, and Aduasena. Gumani also recorded 23
youth leaders from Zee Sung youth, Nzagsi- ŋuni association, Nasara Youth
Association, N-Gang ŋuni Youth Association, and N-Zagsi ŋuni Youth Association.

While in
principle, gender mainstreaming or analysis is extremely necessary in the
planning and execution of climate interventions, the Strategic Youth Network
for Development (SYND) argues that, there is over reliance on WOMEN to the
detriment of other components of Gender that is, MEN, GIRLS AND BOYS. Ghana’s
climate change policy states that vulnerable groups, such as the disabled, the
aged, children, youth and women, are particularly affected as they have poorer
coping mechanisms. Indeed it acknowledged that, the youth form a significant
proportion of the population of Ghana and live with the impacts of climate
change much longer. As such, the youth are key stakeholders in the climate
change process. Inspite of such recognition, the policy makes no concrete
provision in tackling the effect of climate change on the youth. A study on the
impact of climate change on women in three districts was conducted which
confirmed that, although women undertake 85% of Ghana’s food distribution, they
have difficulties in accessing land, land tenure security and formal financial
services. Unfortunately, it is very difficult to cite studies conducted on the
impact of climate change on young people in Ghana.

The
Strategic Youth Network for Development (SYND) has therefore embarked on a “Gender and Climate Change Advocacy” project
which primarily sought to train and empower young people as climate change
champions in their respective communities or districts. It focused on obtaining
the impact of climate change from a gender perspective (specifically pertaining to young males and females) in selected
districts.A copy of the report can found here [GENDER AND CLIMATE CHANGE].

Monday, March 5, 2018

Ghana
intends to mobilise nearly US$ 22.6 billion
investment from both domestic and international public and private sources
towards the implementation of her Nationally Determined Contributions (Gh-NDCs)
commitments. US$ 6.3 billion domestically (28.3% of total investment) is to be
mobilized nationally whereas the US$ 16 billion is expected from international
support. However Ghana’s ability to raise the needed resources is uncertain
given the fact that the country’s climate interventions are largely
donor driven.

Strategic Youth Network for Development (SYND) makes
recommendations on how domestic resource mobilization will be a sustainable
option which is consistent with President Nana Addo's "Ghana Beyond
Aid" policy target.

Tuesday, July 25, 2017

350 Ghana Reducing our Carbon (G-ROC) organised a Capacity Building session for members as RE Advocates as part of its Renewable Energy for Communities (#RE4C)Campaign . Please click on Read More for a copy of the workshop report [READ MORE]

As the norm has been, the government of Ghana announces its Annual Budget Statement which primarily seeks to show who it intends to manage the economy within a given period. Thus, upon the announcement of the 2017 Budget Statement, 350 Ghana Reducing our Carbon (G-ROC) conducted an Analysis of the Statement focusing on Renewable Energy. Please click on Read More to access the paper.[READ MORE]

Tuesday, October 25, 2016

As part of its obligations towards the achievement of
the Paris Climate Agreement, Ghana in her iNDCs is focusing on key areas such as Mitigation, Adaptation, Means of
Implementation, Technology, Transparency Framework and Finance. However, careful
analyses tend to cast doubts on Ghana’s commitment. This paper argues that as a
result of Ghana’s conduct and the demeanor of key development partners/donors
on climate change, the Paris Agreement “shall” fail. TO ACCESS THE PAPER,
PLEASE CLICK ON READ MORE TO [DOWNLOAD]

Tuesday, September 20, 2016

This project among others seeks to demonstrate on-going climate change
adaptation actions by young people and how such effects can positively
contribute and influence national plans. The project targeted three (3) different communities across
Ghana – one each from the Southern (coastal area), Middle (forest area) and
Northern (high temperature area) zones. CLICK ON READ MORE TO [DOWNLOAD]